AMD has officially unveiled the Ryzen 7 9850X3D, a refined version of its current flagship gaming processor, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. AMD is positioning the new chip as its fastest gaming processor to date, citing higher clock speeds and modest performance gains, while confirming that both models will remain available in its lineup.
The Ryzen 7 9850X3D offers a 400 MHz boost in frequency over the 9800X3D, reaching up to 5.6 GHz, while maintaining the same 120-watt thermal design power.
Ryzen 7 X3D Gaming CPU Comparison
| Specification | Ryzen 7 9850X3D | Ryzen 7 9800X3D | Ryzen 7 7800X3D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16 | 8 / 16 | 8 / 16 |
| Architecture | Zen 5, 2nd-gen 3D V-Cache | Zen 5, 2nd-gen 3D V-Cache | Zen 4, 1st-gen 3D V-Cache |
| Base Clock | Not disclosed | 4.7 GHz | 4.2 GHz |
| Boost Clock | Up to 5.6 GHz | Up to 5.2 GHz | Up to 5.0 GHz |
| Cache (L2 + L3) | 104MB | 104MB | 104MB |
| Manufacturing Process | TSMC 4nm | TSMC 4nm | TSMC 5nm |
| TDP | 120W | 120W | 120W |
| Socket | AM5 | AM5 | AM5 |
| Supported Chipsets | A620, X670E, X670, B650E, B650, X870E, X870, B840, B850 | A620, X670E, X670, B650E, B650, X870E, X870, B840, B850 | A620, X670E, X670, B650E, B650, X870E, X870, B840, B850 |
| Integrated GPU | Not disclosed | Radeon Graphics (2 CUs) | Radeon Graphics (2 CUs) |
| iGPU Clock | Not disclosed | 2.2 GHz | 2.2 GHz |
| Street Price (MSRP) | Not announced | ~$460 (launch $480) | ~$395 (launch $450) |
* Information not yet provided by AMD
According to AMD, the new processor offers an average gaming performance uplift of around 7 per cent compared with its predecessor, largely driven by higher operating frequencies rather than architectural changes.
The chip retains the same core configuration as the 9800X3D, featuring eight Zen 5 cores and 16 threads, along with 104MB of combined L2 and L3 cache. Of that total, 96MB comes from AMD’s second-generation 3D V-Cache, which is mounted beneath the compute die rather than on top.
This design improves thermal transfer to the heat spreader and enables official support for multiplier-based overclocking, a feature previously uncommon on X3D processors.
AMD confirmed that the Ryzen 7 9850X3D supports the same overclocking tools as the 9800X3D, including Precision Boost Overdrive, Curve Optimiser, and traditional manual overclocking. While the higher base clocks reduce available thermal headroom, enthusiasts may still be able to push the chip further with adequate cooling.
Performance data shared by AMD suggests that the largest gains appear in esports and frequency-sensitive titles such as Counter-Strike 2 and Rainbow Six Siege.
In more GPU-bound or cache-insensitive games, the performance gap narrows to under five per cent, with some titles showing no measurable difference. Productivity workloads follow a similar trend, with improvements most noticeable in single-threaded benchmarks, such as Cinebench and Geekbench.
Against competing processors, AMD claims the Ryzen 7 9850X3D holds an average 27 per cent lead at 1080p over Core Ultra 9 285K from Intel, though the margin varies significantly depending on the game or application.
AMD has not yet disclosed pricing for the Ryzen 7 9850X3D, but it has confirmed that the processor will launch in the first quarter of 2026. System integrator Alienware has already announced that a refreshed Area-51 desktop featuring the chip will arrive in February.
The processor is compatible with existing Socket AM5 motherboards, including both 600- and 800-series chipsets. However, users will need to update their BIOS firmware and should note that A-series and B840 chipsets do not support CPU overclocking.
With the Ryzen 7 9850X3D, AMD continues to expand an already crowded X3D lineup. Whether the new processor gains traction alongside the still-strong 9800X3D is likely to depend on pricing, as the performance gap between the two remains relatively narrow.
